Dear Rick,
I agree with everything in your post.  Giving the advisor more information is always a good thing as long as you allow for human interaction.  My concern is that there is always the attraction that many have for finding a way to do the job less well for less money.  That is, as graduation rate incresingly becomes the important metric, it may tempt some to automatically block students from attempting courses that they are predicted to fail, because this will make the institution look better.  

I still like the old SUNY motto, slightly rephrased to account for the fact that Carlyle hated women, "Let each become all he or she is capable of becoming."

Cordially,
Harry


Harry E. Pence
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
SUNY Oneonta
________________________________________
From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jagels, Rick
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 9:13 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Blackboard plans to do Learning Analytics?

All,

The actual metrics Blackboard uses aside, it is clear to me that there are measurable behaviors that are predictive of student success and engagement. In my experience, they include time on task, # of interactions with professors outside the classroom, use of tutors (peer or professional), attendance in classroom and at college events, test grades (as well as the "direction" of successive testing-52-59-65-75-80), time spent on research, etc etc. While no one of these is reliably predictive, taken together they can (not will) indicate a need for intervention or provide some indication that the student is on a healthy academic path.  I am as sure of the above as I am that SAT scores, HS GPA and IQ scores are not predictive of a student's possible success in college.  The College Assistance Migrant Program, here at the college, is predicated on those two observations (supported by "the literature") and in the 10 years it has been here has accepted students outside of the predominant profile, tracked them in their freshman year based on the analytics referred to, intervened based on that behavior, and graduated students at a rate equal to the college's.  That some of the number gathering may be done computerly doesn't bother me at all; that a human intervention, not emails to students or holds on their accounts, might not be used- does bother me.


Rick Jagels
Education Specialist
College Assistance Migrant Program
111 Wilsbach Hall
State University of NY College at Oneonta
(607)436-2297
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-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pence, Harry
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 8:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Blackboard plans to do Learning Analytics?

Dear Friends,

Mainly for Jim's benefit, but there may be others on the list who are interested in learning analytics.

http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/hack-higher-education/new-lms-product-you

It seems to be that the logical progression is clear here:
Colleges become interested in latest fad -------> Someone offers to provide the latest fad for a "small" fee.

The question is, will colleges go for the bait again?

If you have any problem answering this last question, you must be new in higher ed.

Harry

P.S. When the old business model starts to die, it's time to find a new model.


Harry E. Pence
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
SUNY Oneonta